


one chance i'll stretch it and take a risk

by honeybearbee



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Romance, Kid Fic, Multi, Romance, Series Spoilers, Spoilers, Threesome - F/F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-18
Updated: 2014-10-18
Packaged: 2018-02-21 15:04:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2472560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honeybearbee/pseuds/honeybearbee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Liara and Shepard were an item, then Shepard died. Then Shepard saved the galaxy and fell in love with Garrus. Liara had to help Shepard against the Reapers, keeping a long held secret. Now, though, the threat is over and the secret comes tumbling out. It's not the only secret that comes out though as Liara, Shepard, and Garrus attempt to navigate their triad in the spotlight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	one chance i'll stretch it and take a risk

**Author's Note:**

> this was going to be written for the triadverse big bang, but it never got picked for art and i was writing another triad fic, so i gave up on it for a bit. now, however, i'm back and hope to finish it! :D more tags will be added as the fic goes. un-beta'ed.

2183- The Normandy

The Normandy sped through space, on its way to the Citadel. Inside the ship the crew milled about, either working or relaxing.

 _Won’t get much a chance to relax after this,_ Shepard thought as she stared out a window. Next to her sat Doctor Chakwas. They were sharing a bottle of whiskey in Shepard’s quarters.

“You know,” Chakwas began casually, as she took a sip of her drink.

Shepard tensed slightly, knowing that Chakwas’ casual usually meant something else. Something resembling a lecture. Shepard hated lectures. She usually ignored them and did what she wanted anyway.

“You know,” Chakwas said again. “That Liara is pretty naive when it comes to relationships?” Chakwas finished, looking at Shepard from over the rim of her glass.

“Yeah,” Shepard replied warily. She couldn’t see where this was going.

“And that maybe she might not like you flirting with Garrus.”

Shepard snorted into her drink. “One, Garrus doesn’t even know I’m flirting with him. He’s so oblivious, it’s cute. And two, Liara put a hold on anything we had going on. Which was, and is, logical. We’ve got a mission to complete.”

Chakwas hummed and took another drink.

“Besides, maybe they both want a triad,” Shepard insisted. “Those are totally normal.”

“For Humans and Turians, maybe. The Asari never mention it.”

Shepard frowned and set her drink down. “But it makes sense from a biological standpoint. Fuck, even the Krogan have triads. Or more.” Shepard felt like she was digging herself into a whole that Chakwas had already started.

Chakwas shrugged and downed the rest of her drink. “I’m just saying.”

 _Damn it. Why does Chakwas have to be sensible and right all the time,_ Shepard thought harshly. Then she sighed. “Yeah, all right. If we survive this, I’ll talk to Liara about it. Even if she doesn’t want Garrus, she might have her eye on someone else.”

“Just really think about it, all right? Don’t go barrelling through your love life like you do the Geth,” Chakwas said as she stood. She patted Shepard’s shoulder and walked out of the room.

“That’s just how I do things!” Shepard shouted as the door closed. She grunted again. _Spending too much time with Wrex,_ she thought as she finished her drink. “Damn.” Shepard ran her hand through her short, red hair. “After,” she mumbled as she stood and stretched. “After this is all over I’ll talk to Liara.” She cracked her neck and rolled her shoulders before getting into bed. She had a long couple of days coming up. The council wanted to ground the Normandy and Shepard had to yell at them for being fucking idiots.

****

Ilos

Shepard leaned against her desk with Liara standing in between her legs. They stared at each other before Shepard smiled, pulled Liara closer and kissed her passionately. Before they could go any farther, Joker’s voice came over the ship’s intercom.

“ _Commander, we are almost to Ilos. Better get ready_ ,” the pilot said. His voice sounded a bit smug.

“Thanks, Joker,” Shepard sighed. “Great timing as always.”

Liara giggled and hugged Shepard. “Be careful.” 

“You’re coming with me,” Shepard replied in confusion as she pulled away to put her armor on.

Liara nodded, putting on her own armor. “Yes, but you are very reckless.”

“Hey,” Shepard replied in a mildly offended tone. It was muffled slightly because she was bent over, pulling on her boots.

“You are,” Liara insisted. “It has been helpful in the past, with the Geth and my mother, but it does make me worry.”

“I’ll be fine,” Shepard promised. She kissed Liara’s cheek. “You’ll all be there and will kick Saren’s ass.”

Liara smiled softly. “I believe in you. We all do.”

Shepard let out a deep breath. “Thanks, dear,” she smirked.

“Sarcasm will not always work on me,” Liara said flatly.

Shepard blinked at Liara, then narrowed her eyes. “You’ve been talking to Chakwas.”

It was Liara’s turn to smirk. “Maybe.”

Shepard held out her hands and wiggled her fingers at Liara. “I’m going to tackle you and then tickle you.”

“No!” Liara shrieked as she dodged Shepard.

Before Shepard could try to tickle Liara again, Joker spoke again. “ _Commander?_ ”

“All right, all right,” she made a face at the ceiling. “Let’s go.”

Liara grabbed Shepard’s hand as they walked out of the room and down to the elevator. They had a galaxy to save.

****

The Normandy   
One month after the Battle of the Citadel

Shepard and Liara laid in bed, lazily kissing and touching one another. Shepard tucked her head under Liara’s chin and sighed happily.

“Shep,” Liara said softly. She moved her hands up and down Shepard’s back slowly.

“Yeah?”

“There is something I must tell you.”

“Yeah?” Shepard repeated, not moving her head.

Liara laughed lightly. “I’d like to look at your face.”

“I do have a nice face,” Shepard said as she pulled away, slightly, from Liara. “What is it? You look nervous.”

Liara bit her lip. “I am a bit.” Just as she opened her mouth, the ship alarms went off and the Normandy rocked a little.

“What the fuck?” Shepard asked angrily as she got up and threw her clothes on.

“ _Commander, we’ve got incoming!_ ” Joker’s voice came over the ship.

“How can that be?”

“ _I don’t know! Oh god–_ ”

“Joker? Joker! Damn it! Liara?”

“I’m right behind you. What I have to say can wait.”

Shepard nodded and kissed Liara before they both ran out of the room.

“Get safe!” Shepard shouted. Liara waved a hand as she went down to the medical deck. Shepard watched her go, then shook her head to clear her thoughts.

“Talk to me Joker!” she yelled.

“ _They’re coming around! I don’t know how they can see us! Everyone brace for impact!_ ”

The Normandy shook and creaked. Shepard laid a hand on the wall.

“ _Hold together baby,_ ” Joker muttered.

Shepard ran down the hallway and into an alcove. She put out some fires and tried to read the incoming data on a small screen through the smoke. It didn’t make sense. The Normandy should be invisible to any enemy ship.

“Shepard!” Liara suddenly yelled from behind her.

“I told you to get safe!”

“I won’t leave without you!”

Shepard shook her head. “Get out of here!”

Liara stood her ground, stubbornly.

Shepard sighed. “Fine, let’s go!”

However, before they could both duck into an escape pod, the sounds of Joker in trouble reached them.

“I gotta save Joker,” Shepard said.

“I know. Just...come back to me.”

“You know I will.” Shepard knocked her helmet against Liara’s softly. Then she took off to the front of the Normandy.

Later, as Shepard floated through space, desperately trying to survive, she wondered what Liara wanted to tell her. _Liara’s gonna be super pissed that I died. She better make babies with Garrus. They’d be cute._ That was the last thing Shepard thought of as her vision dimmed.

****

2185- Illium

Liara paced in her office. She knew Shep was arriving, or here, or almost here. She didn’t know what to tell her ex-lover. Liara didn’t even know if Shep remembered that they had something to talk about. 

Nyxeris popped her head and said, “Commander Shepard has arrived.”

“Now?” Liara asked, flustered.

“No, on the planet.”

“Oh,” she sighed. “Okay. Please show her here quickly.”

Nyxeris nodded and left Liara’s office.

“I can do this,” Liara muttered to herself. She sat down and waited, and waited, and waited some more. Liara shook her head. “Figures. Only Shep could get waylaid on a straight path.” Her office door finally slid open and Liara stood with a smile.

“Shep,” she said warmly.

“Liara,” Shepard replied, just as warm.

They hugged tightly, neither willing to let go right away.

“I’ve missed you,” Liara said into Shepard’s shoulder. 

“Me too.”

Liara tilted her head back and moved in to kiss Shepard, but Shepard subtly pulled back. Liara blinked. She and Shepard still had a bond and she could feel the shift in it.

“Oh,” she said, mildly surprised. “You’ve met someone new.”

“It’s Garrus,” Shepard said shyly. “It’s kind of new. I didn’t...I thought you would have moved on.”

Liara raised her brows in surprise and stepped away from Shepard. “You aren’t the kind that someone forgets.”

Shepard chuckled. “Thanks. I think.”

“But I did move on, just not very well.” Liara sat at her desk, motioning for Shepard to sit across from her. “Besides, you always did have a flirtation with Garrus,” she said slyly.

Shepard paused minutely as she sat down. Only those who really knew her would have caught it, and Liara knew Shepard well.

“Yeah, well,” Shepard shifted and cleared her throat. “You wanted to see me?”

“Yes.” Liara began her tale of the Shadow Broker and Feron. “I want Feron out of the Shadow Broker’s clutches.”

“Did he and you…?” Shepard asked.

“Not that it’s any of your business, but yes,” snapped Liara.

Shepard winced. “Right, sorry. Look, let me get these last two team members, then I’m all yours, okay?”

Liara nodded. “Deal. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

“Sure thing.” Shepard stood up and walked to the door. Liara turned her attention to her terminal, but saw Shep paused out of the corner of her eye.

“Hey, Liara?” Shepard asked.

“Yes?”

“What did you want to tell me, all those years ago?”

Liara swallowed. _I could tell her, but she’d feel obligated to me. I can’t let her do that. Not with the Reapers knocking on our doors. And Garrus. Goddess._ She smiled as brightly as she was able. “It’s not important now.”

Shepard stared at her for a long time. Then she nodded. “Maybe you’ll tell me later?”

“Yeah, maybe.”

Shep nodded again and finally left Liara’s office. Liara put her head in her hands and sighed. If she was going to deal with the Shadow Broker, then she needed to get some things settled.

****

“Momma!” Shelyna yelled as Liara walked into their home.

“Darling!” Liara smiled. She knelt down and hugged her daughter close. “How was your day?”

“Good!”

Lider, Liara’s friend and her daughter’s caretaker, came out from the kitchen and smiled as Liara stood, still holding Shelyna. “We played many games and Shelyna learned many things.”

“Did you?” Liara asked in mock surprise.

Shelyna nodded shyly. “And,” she whispered, “I beat up a Krogan in the simulator!”

Liara looked at Lider in confusion.

“She saw me training and wanted to try. She is as strong as both her parents,” Lider said wryly.

Liara made a face at her friend. She put her daughter down and said, “Lyna, why don’t you show me what you learned? Let me just talk to Lider first all right?”

Shelyna nodded and darted off to her room.

“What’s wrong?” Lider asked.

“Shepard is helping me go after the Shadow Broker. I need you to get Lyna off-world, to the Citadel or Omega would be best.”

Lider took in a sharp breath, but nodded. “I’ll protect her with my life.”

“Hopefully, it won’t come to that.”

****

The Shadow Broker’s Lair

Liara panted and collapsed against a broken bit of wall. Shepard slumped next to her. In front of them, Garrus laid on the floor and groaned.

“Fucker better be dead,” Shep swore as she kept her gun pointed at the Shadow Broker.

 _Ex-Shadow Broker,_ Liara thought tiredly.

“I put like 10 bullets into his head,” Garrus mumbled into the floor. “He’s definitely dead.”

Liara snorted and rested her head against Shepard’s shoulder. “I suppose I should get and look at his network before his agents get suspicious.”

Shepard grunted and pulled herself up. She helped Liara up first, then tugged Garrus into a standing position. Liara hobbled over to the computer and waited. Soon agents were asking for input.

“There was a technical glitch. Go about your jobs,” Liara said as steadily as she could. She looked back at Shepard and Garrus. They were leaning against each other in the middle of the room. Liara smiled softly. “You can find out information on anyone in one of the terminals.”

Shepard nodded. “Let me get Garrus to a couch.”

Garrus made a face, which Shepard ignored as she drug him from the room.

****

“Lie down you idiot,” Shepard commanded as she practically threw Garrus down next to Feron. Both males moaned in pain and Shepard rolled her eyes. “Babies.”

She moved over to a terminal and hit enter. The Shadow Broker had information not only on her, but also her squadmates. She skipped over her own file and went straight to Garrus’.

 **Former C-Sec officer. Exceptional tactical and team-building skills. Leadership potential overshadowed by Shepard. Unlikely to fully develop under Shepard's command,** it read.

Shepard frowned and looked back at Garrus. He was talking softly to Feron, but both were looking tired. “Bullshit,” she muttered as she looked at the screen again. Then she looked over her old friends files before moving onto her new teammates. She scrunched up her nose, vowing to talk to all of them and see what she could do to help. Shepard looked back at Garrus again and saw he had fallen asleep. Feron waved sleepily and closed his eyes. She turned back to the terminal and looked up Liara’s file.

**...Has one child, Shelyna (2), from an unknown father. Liara would kill for her child, which makes her even more dangerous. Possible fathers: Feron, Lider, Urdnot Wrex, Garrus Vakarian…**

“Huh,” Shepard said softly. “Something to ask EDI about. At least I know she won’t bullshit me.”

“Shep!” Liara called. “I found something!”

“Coming!” Shepard called back, as she shut down the terminal.

****

After Shepard helped Garrus to the Normandy, Shepard and Liara discussed what would happen with the Shadow Broker’s information next. Just as Shepard was about to leave, she asked, “What about your daughter?”

“Daughter?” Liara asked, a panicked look in her eye. “What daughter?”

Shepard cocked her head. “It was in the Broker’s files.”

“Oh,” Liara sighed. “Yes, she’ll come with me. My friend, Lider, will come as well.” Liara looked around and grimaced. “It’s not the best place to raise a child, but I won’t be separated from her.”

“I get that,” Shepard nodded. She shifted awkwardly. “It didn’t say who the father was. The file, I mean. You could...if you wanted...I wouldn’t tell anyone, is what I’m trying to say.”

Liara chuckled and moved closer to Shepard. She placed a hand on Shepard’s face gently. “I know. And I’m the Shadow Broker now, so it doesn’t matter who knows. But, I’m not ready.”

“Okay.”

Liara’s hand fell from Shepard’s face and they looked at each other for awhile, before Liara blurted out, “About you and Garrus…”

Shepard’s face went through a series of emotions. She rubbed the back of her neck and said, “Look. I love you and I always will, but I love Garrus too. I don’t know. I mean, we could both die on this mission and…” Shepard trailed off uncertainly. _Fuck I don’t know what I’m saying. How do you even ask if Asari do triads?_

“I understand. The times are uncertain.” Liara bit her lip. _I can’t risk it. What if Shepard dies? Then Lyna will just have more sadness given to her. Besides, how does one say ‘Asari do do triads, but only with select people?’ No, it’s better this way._ She stood on her tip-toes and kissed Shepard’s cheek. “I hope you’re very happy together.”

“Thanks, Liara,” Shepard said softly. She kissed Liara softly on the lips, then turned and walked towards the docking station. “I’ll be back!”

“I’ll call you if I find anything,” Liara shouted at Shepard’s back. The door closed behind Shepard and Liara let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. _Time to get Lider and Lyna here._ She went back to the computer terminal and began hunting for information.

“How may I help you, Shadow Broker?” a robotic voice asked.

“What the…?” Liara jumped in surprise and turned to find a drone hovering behind her. “Oh, this could be useful!”

“It is my duty to be useful,” the drone said.

“Lyna is going to love you. After I reprogram you.”

The drone didn’t reply, just hovered. Feron came out of the back room and the drone floated over. “How may I help you, Shadow Broker?” it asked.

“What?” Feron asked in shock.

Liara sighed. “A lot of reprogramming.”

****

January 23rd, 2186- Shadow Broker’s Lair

It had been five months since Liara had last seen Shepard. They had talked over the extranet about the Reapers after Shepard had left, but Liara hadn’t learned anything new. Then communications with the Normandy were cut off. Liara figured that they had finally gone after the Collector ship. She prayed to the Goddess that they’d all make it out alive.

After an intense and stressful wait, Joker’s voice came over Liara’s comms. “ _Hey Doc, can we hang out with you for a bit?_ ” he asked, sounding tired.

“Of course!” Liara said. She was happy to see all of her old friends and make some new ones.

The crew stayed for a few days. Everyone avoided the info drone like the plague, and just relaxed. She had watched Garrus and Shepard from a distance and smiled fondly. She was pleased to meet Grunt and Legion, as Shepard was excited to introduce them.

“Grunt’s just a baby, kind of, but he can still kick ass,” Shepard said proudly. “And Legion has my old N7 armor. He’s a great shot.”

“They’re like her kids,” Garrus joked from across the room.

“Stuff it, Vakarian,” Shepard said genially.

Liara laughed. It was almost like old times, just with more people. Afterwards, when they jumped back into the fight against the Reapers, Liara watched her computer screens and wondered what Shepard would be like with Lyna.

Lyna and Lider eventually showed up, with Lider tutting at the mess that the ship was in. Lyna took a liking to the drone, as Liara expected.

“He needs a name, momma,” Lyna said one day. Liara was half focused on the information popping up in front of her.

“Then you can name him,” she said absently.

Lyna nodded and thought about it. “Glyph.”

Liara blinked and focused on her daughter. “It’s a good name.”

Then in 2186, Liara’s screens went wild and information was pouring in. She couldn’t keep track of all of it, it was coming in too fast. “Slow down!” she yelled. Once things were calm, she said, “Tell me what happened.”

“ _The Bahak system was destroyed!_ ” One of her operatives shouted. “ _Commander Shepard let an asteroid hurtle into the Mass Relay, killing everyone in the system._ ”

“Is Shepard alive? And what do you mean let?”

“ _Shepard is alive,_ ” another operative said. “ _She’s on her way to Earth to stand trial. She’s been stripped of Specter status and demoted._ ”

“ _Apparently, she let the asteroid hit the Mass Relay because a group of indoctrinated Humans were going to let the Reapers through,_ ” a third operative spoke up. “ _She may have killed 304,942 people, but she saved millions more._ ”

Liara sat back in shock as her operatives argued amongst themselves. _I’ll have to step up my research. And get Lider and Lyna off this ship._ Outloud she said, “We don’t have a lot of time. I need everything you can find on the Reapers, whether you believe in them or not is irrelevant. And get me information on Shepard. I want to know what’s happening with her at all times. Go!” She turned from the screens and put her head between her legs. Time was running out and she didn’t have enough information.

****

May 2186

“Hurry, Liara,” Feron shouted over the gunfire. Cerberus had caught up with them and was trying to get her information.

“Almost done!” Liara shouted back as she finished downloading everything she had onto Glyph. She was thankful that Lider and Lyna had left back in February. “Done!” She grabbed a few things and ran down the hall towards Feron. Glyph floated behind her, silently. She drew out her gun and fired a few shots. She used her biotic powers to trap a few guards in place and Feron picked them off.

“This way,” he yelled. “To the shuttle.”

Liara nodded and they took off down a corridor. She shut all the doors behind them, hoping to slow down the Cerberus agents. “We just need to get off this damn ship!”

“I thought no one could find it!” Feron replied as he ran.

“Apparently, the Illusive Man can.”

“An unfortunate rhyme,” Glyph said as he darted ahead to open some doors.

Feron laughed loudly.

“Shut up,” Liara grumbled. “The both of you.”

They raced towards a shuttle and buckled in. Feron flew the shuttle faster than was safe, but a large Cerberus ship had spotted them so Liara said nothing.

“Where do you wanna go?” he asked.

“The Citadel.”

“It’s not safe.”

“Safer than anywhere else. Once I’m there, I can go over this and see what I can find.”

“I hope it’s something good,” Feron said as he pulled away from the Cerberus ship. Behind them, there was a loud explosion. “Good thing we got everything.”

“Yeah,” Liara said absently. She was already going over the information she had collected. Luckily her operatives had been warned she’d be out of contact for awhile. They would just leave information packets when and where they normally did and she would get to them later. Now, though, she had to worry about the Reapers.


End file.
